attimes_bracing

Make it Sew - if only I could!

January 9th, 2012

FFFFFFRRRRRRRRAAAAKKKKK

As part of my domesticated 2012, I have taken up cooking, and started dress making. The cooking is going well.

The sewing less so. My de facto mother in law kindly gave me her old sewing machine to use. It's a Singer 320K and I'm guessing it was made in the fifties. Well the tension wheel is totally shot and no matter how threaded breaks the thread in one stitch - the motor is also stammering. And every time I reach through to flip the presser foot drop switch I burn my hand on the exposed light bulb. I have already made it through the instruction manual - jeez - patronising. It also doesn't seem to reverse. I am used to my mother's Singer machine which was 1970s.

I could buy a new one - any recommendations? I need something straightforward and don't want to spend over £100.00. The Brother X5 or the LS 2125 which I already have. But in November when major_clanger and I move north I will eventually get my hands on my sewing machine in storage (a decent Brother one) making this purchase superfluous.

Oh - long shot - is there anyone out there who could loan me a (post 1980s) sewing machine for 9 months-ish so I don't need to buy one?

You should be able to get this one serviced and sorted out, in fact. A good craft shop will know where you can get this done.(My sewing machine is cast iron, hand-powered and nearly 100. It works beautifully.)

I agree. I had my grandmother's machine (admittedly a good German make) serviced by the Battersea Sewing Centre for 59 quid and it's now as good as new - sewing machines need a regular service - they'll probably be able to show you where reverse is as well.</p>

Alternatively you may have a sewing cafe near you - I have one and it's great - big rooms, clean tables, ironing board set up and ready to go - I used it for my curtains even though I have my own machine at home. Adult education classes also good, they'll teach you stuff, and you can usually do a bit of ad hoc work in the machines while you're there.